Haylee and Tira
by Luna32
Summary: Haylee and Tira are the daughters of Lorane, a silk weaver, who belongs to a group of traveling merchants. But one day their caravan is destroyed by a herd of Urgals. Haylee and Tira are the only two to survive the attack. As they stumble through the Spin
1. Urgal Attack

**Authors' Notes:**

**Rae**: Luna got me started on the Eragon books and once I started reading them I couldn't stop! We decided to write a fic together about two twin girls who end up… well you'll just have to see what kind of trouble they get into for yourself! Make sure you R&R! This is our first fic together and we need to know if we should continue...

**Luna**: I'm having so much fun writing this chapter. I wish I could write the whole thing but I can't, oh well. I'm sure Rae and me will make a good team.

**Disclaimer: **We own nothing, absolutely nothing except Hay-lee and Tira.

"Hay-lee, Tira get your noses out of that book, now!" their mother screamed. "Get your butts over here and help me."

"But mom," the girls protested, "We're almost done."

"I said now girls!" their mother screamed again. Hay-lee and Tira put their book away and went to help their mother set up the table of silk. Tira, Hay-lee, and their step mom Lorane were part of a group of traders that went from town to town trading and telling stories. Lorane was a silk weaver. She bought silk as thread and wove it into beautiful patterns of cloth. Hay-lee and Tira then set up the table and helped sell the cloth. The two girls also played music. They played wooden flutes that their father made them for their birthday a long time ago. It was very fun playing and dancing around in front of other people.

After the table was set up, and all the people in the town arrived the real work began, bargaining. It was simple yet complicated. The woman would come and say that they would give so much money for a piece of cloth, but most of the time their offers would be lower than the actual cost of the cloth. So then Hay-lee and Tira had to haggle with the woman to get them to pay more, when they didn't want to.

By the time night rolled around, most of the silk cloth was gone, and it was time to perform. Hay-lee and Tira picked up their old wooden flutes and went to the big bomb fire that everyone was sitting around. "And now it's time to hear some lovely music by two lovely ladies," announced Nathaniel the story teller/grain seller of the group.

Tira and Hay-lee took their bows and started to play Green Sleeves. It was a love ballet written by some dead guy who lived a long time ago. It inspired many feelings in the listeners and usually got a good applause. Then the girls played Drowned in the River, a song about a young boy who wanders away from home and ends up falling in the river and dieing.

The day ended with Nathaniel telling stories about the new rider Eragon and his mighty dragon Saphira. The Battle of Farthen Dûn was a real crowd pleaser. It did good to hear that there was someone who was defining King Galbatorix's rein.

The traders left as quickly as they arrived, leaving nothing behind. They were headed for Fläm, Daret, then finally Yazuac from Teirm, by following the Toark River east, then heading north along the Spine. Staying on the plains, but close enough to the Spine so that it could be reached in less than a day if needed, the traders followed it up to Fläm.

The travel was hard; the weather never seemed to make up its mind on what it wanted to do. One day it was so hot you felt like you wanted to die. On other days ran hammered down so hard that you couldn't see your own hand in front of your face.

There was also the ever-constant worry of urgal attacks. Even though the attacks had lessened, no one was taking any chances. Both the men and woman carried weapons. Even the little kids had their own wooden swords.

The trip itself was taking longer than expected too. By the sixth day the weather had finally made up it's mind on what it wanted to do, which was a never ending onslaught of heavy ran coupled with thunder and lighting. After the heat of the day before, many would have thought that the rain would have been a welcomed change, wrong. It was horrible. The wheels of the wagons constantly got stuck in the mud, making the already hard trip harder. Every part of a person's body got soaked with a wet cold rain. The fires wouldn't start, and the food was running low. Many days the traders made no progress, forced to hunker down where they were against the rain and wind.

Some people even suggested going into the Spine to find shelter and food. But many were against that. Too many rumors had come from the north about people who went into the Spine and never came out.

On the eleventh day the rain finally stopped and the weather went back to being extremely hot. "Why are you being so cruel?" Hay-lee shouted at the sky. "Why?"

"Because it's fun," Tira answered laughing, only to receive a dirty look from her sister. The two girls were walking behind their wagon because their step mom needed the space to weave, and she said that adequate, "you two could do with the exercise." To which both her daughters took offence.

"This sucks!" Hay-lee complained. "I don't need exercise thank you very much. I'm perfectly in shape."

"Right, that's why you are sweating like a pig," Tira teased.

"You no what Tira, shut up."

"Why don't you both shut!" Lorene was always very touchy about people making noise when she was weaving.

A horn sounded up a head. People stopped what they were doing as another horn sounded, and urgal shouts rose up above the silence. "Arm yourself urgals," Nathaniel yelled. By unspoken consent he was the leader of the group, a leader that Lorene liked a lot.

"What now," Lorene asked sticking her head out of the back of the wagon. "What did you to do?"  
"Nothing," Hay-lee answered in a dignified voice. "Urgals are coming our way though."

"So why are you two still standing around do something!" Everyone scurried around trying to get ready for the inevitable attack. The urgals hadn't changed their course and within minutes their faces could be seen. Mothers hurriedly tried to get their children into the wagons, but there was no real safe place for them to hide. All available men formed a wall in front of the wagon train.

Women screamed as the urgals hit the wall of men, and the hacking and slashing began. There had to be at least seventy urgals to fifty humans. They were so disgusting. "Hay-lee," Tira said quietly as she watched men and urgal die. "I think I'm going to be sick." The hand that held her sword was trembling uncontrollable. "I don't want to do this. We have to get out of here."

"I know what you mean. I feel like throwing up too." Were going to die they both thought. By now the urgals had broken through the line of men and were heading toward the woman.

By sum-unspoken agreement Tira and Hay-lee turned and ran toward the Spine. They ran as fast as they could, never stopping to look behind. But one thing was for sure, their step mom was right; they could of done with some more exercise.

They reached the Spine tired and out of breath. "Cramp, cramp, cramp," Tira was clutching her side and leaning over trying to get rid of her side cramp from running so much.

"Come on," said Hay-lee. "Lets go."

The girls walked into the Spine, not bothering to look back. They didn't want to. Both of them had just forsaken their friends and the only family they had, and know that they were out of danger this weighed heavily on them.

The trees were thick in the Spine. Hardly any light made it through. The under brush grew thick and there was no path, so the girls had to make their own. Stumbling, and still tired they walked silently listening for urgals that might have followed them. Tira couldn't take the silence any more, she had to say something, anything. "Are we horrible people Hay-lee? We just left them there."

It wasn't a very easy question to answer. What does she want me to say? Hay-lee wanted to know. That we aren't when we are, that it's ok that we left them there to fight and possible die? But Hay-lee never got to answer Tira's question. For when her foot fell on the ground, she fell too. Only she fell threw it.

**Authors' Notes: **

**Rae**: OK, Luna wrote the first chapter, I'm working on the second one… hmmm that seems to take care of everything, except your job. Hmmm. What can you do to help? Oh yeah, **REVIEW!**

**Luna**: Done, I like writing Eragon fan fics. It's fun. Rae is writing the next chapter, so I really have no control over what she writes. Oh and for all you lazy little people who just read and don't review, get over yourself and review. It won't kill you to take one little minute out of your life and type a review up.


	2. Priceless Discoveries

**Authors' Notes:**

**Rae**: Yay! I get to write this chapter! Thank you all to those of you who reviewed our last chapter. I've been waiting to write this chapter! I'm so excited. I'm working my way through the end of the first book, so bear with me if something is wrong. I apologize a head of time, not only for the mistakes I might make concerning the story line, but for any grammatical or spelling errors I might make.

**Luna**: NO whaaaaa (sniffle sniffle) I didn't get to write the chapter! (sniffle sniffle) but I still love it. Rae you do good work.

**Disclaimer:** Do we look like a hot guy who graduated from high school at the age of 15!

Hay-Lee felt her stomach leave her as she pummeled to the bottom of the hole she had managed to stumble upon. She felt the breathe leave her as her body slammed onto the bottom of the hole some ten feet below her twin sister above her.

"Ohmigod! Hay-Lee!" Tira's voice broke with panic. "Hay-Lee are you all right? Hay-Lee answer me!"

"Aghh," Hay-Lee moaned. She couldn't move and panic filled her as she found she couldn't breath. Suddenly the invisible hand that hand that been smothering her released it's grip and Hay-Lee was finally able to breath. Her breath was raged and shuddered her whole body. "I-I…"

"Hay-Lee!" Tira was now kneeling beside the hole peering into the depth in search of her twin. "Oh, Hay-Lee!"

Hay-Lee could finally breathe normally again so she called up to her worried twin. "I'm lucky I didn't land on my blade. I would have been impaled and bleed to death."

"I don't think so. Most likely you would have died instantly, considering it would have rammed all the way through your body, wooden handle and all." Tira replied. "Are you all right?"

"Oh course. I'm perfectly-" Hay-Lee tried to stand up, yet when she applied pressure to her right ankle stars burst before her eyes. "Ahhhh!"

"What?" Tira asked instantly. "I thought you said you were OK!"

"I-I thought I was…" Hay-Lee replied taking the pressure off of her ankle by leaning on the way and lifting up her foot. "I-I th-think I broke my ankle. Or I sprained it pretty bad."

Tira looked down at her twin with worry. "So that means there's no chance of you climbing out?"

"Not with out some sort of rope."

"Where am I going to find a rope in the middle of the Spine?" Tira demanded.

Hay-Lee shivered. She and her sister were in the Spine, alone. One in a hole and one standing at the edge with only dulled swords with wooden handles to protect them.

"I still don't see why they let me use my bow." Hay-Lee muttered. "At least I would have been able to throw it up to you and have you get something to eat."

"WHAT is wrong with you?" Tira shouted. "You're stuck in a hole with a broken ankle, we're most likely being followed by urgals because we were the only ones to survive the attack and all you can think about is FOOD!"

"What?" Hay-Lee asked sheepishly. "I'm hungry and we need food to survive."

Tira just glared at her sister for a moment. "I'm kinda hungry, too." She admitted. "But before I start looking for a way to get you out. Any ideas?"

"I still think you should go and find some food. I'm safe in here and you can just use a long vine to get me out or something." Hay-Lee replied sheathing her sword.

She got down on her hands and knees and began to search the hole she was in. "It's really big down here!" she called up to Tira.

Her hands brushed over a strong stick in the dark. Pulling it into the light she noticed it would make a good walking stick, at the end was a small Y shape perfect for resting one's arm. She had found a makeshift crutch and wasn't about to let her sore ankle keep her from exploring this hole she was stuck in.

Why would someone place a trap this large in the Spine? Most people were frightened of the Spine and wouldn't dare enter it, let alone build a trap, so what was this hole made for?

Tira couldn't understand her sister some days. They might be twins, but they were as different as could be, even in looks! Hay-Lee had long jet-black hair that was always braided into pigtails with purple ribbons, green eyes and was left-handed. _While Tira herself had shoulder length light brown hair with natural blond highlights chocolate brown eyes and was right handed._

Both girls were strong willed and loved music. Some days their step mom couldn't stand their stubbornness and argumentative ideals. Hay-Lee always had food on her mind and managed to be rash about things while Tira thought that everything needed to be observed and organized to get things done correctly.

Tira saw a rabbit dash past and she ran after it, sharp stick in hand. She planned on using it like a spear. Throwing it she missed and the makeshift weapon struck the ground and fell.

Scowling Tira ran to the stick and picked it up. The rabbit was gone out of sight and she almost couldn't see the hole where Hay-Lee was stuck anymore. She decided to go no further and returned to the hole.

"Hay-Lee. It's no use. I can't catch anything. I need to borrow you bow."

"Why didn't you ask for it to begin with?" Hay-Lee asked.

"Why didn't you offer it?" Tira demanded.

Hay-Lee was silent for a moment. Shrugging she said, "It never crossed my mind."

Tira smiled down at her. "You always were good at answering your own questions with time."

Hay-Lee mocked what her sister said in a high voice, a sly smile on her face as she tossed her bow and quiver of arrows to her twin.

Tira laughed as she caught the quiver before it hit the ground and spilled the arrows everywhere. "I'll come back with a rabbit for each of us and a way to get you out."

"Take your time with the latter. I want to explore my prison." Hay-Lee said with a smile. "Who knows? Maybe I was meant to fall into this hole for a magical propose."

"I don't think it was magic." Tira said skeptically. "I think it was simply your clumsiness, Hay-Lee."

Hay-Lee made a face at her sister's retreating back. Tira never believed in magic. She was a sensible type, as she called it. She never believed the curse Nathaniel told the girls about young children that were left handed, although she did believe in the Rider and Elven Magic. Just not in magic that involved normal folks.

Tira could be a pain some days, and she always chose the days that Hay-Lee needed her the most! Like days that she happened to be stuck in holes. And how did her dear twin help her out of this prison?

Hay-Lee was so angry because of these thoughts that she was whacking the walls with her newfound crutch.

Well, what was Tira doing to help? Making sarcastic remarks that stung, that's what!

**WHAM!**

Hay-Lee's stick smacked into the wall with such force that part of it collapsed as if it were made of rotting wood. Looking at the hole she had made in wonder Hay-Lee realized that the part of the wall she had hit was made of wood! And it seemed to be blocking something, like a tunnel!

"Tira! Tira come here!" All traces of her anger at her sister erased by curiosity and excitement. "Tira come here quick! Look at what I found!"

Tira was out shooting arrows at passing animals. She had managed to catch one rabbit and a bird. She was just about to shoot at another rabbit when she heard her sister calling her voice.

Worried that she might be under attack Tira almost left her game behind. Bending to pick them up she noticed at long vine that seemed to be braided together with others for a stronger rope. Picking that up as well she ran to the hole where Hay-Lee was trapped.

"Hay-lee! What's wrong?" Tira was beside the hole with amazing speed.

"You have to see this!" Hay-lee exclaimed excitedly. "I've found a secret passage of some sort! I wonder where it goes!"

"Hay-lee, you get distracted easily. You know that?" Tira exclaimed. "I thought you were being attacked or something!"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you!" Hay-lee said completely innocent. "But I want you to see this! I mean this hole could lead to somewhere amazing!"

"What ever happened to being hungry?" Tira asked, amazed that something could have driven the thought of food from her sister's mind.

"Hungry?" Hay-lee asked completely dumbfounded. "Who could be hungry at a time like this? Our destiny could be waiting on the other side of that tunnel!"

"What?" Tira asked suddenly skeptical again. "Are we going to find two Dragon eggs hidden from the rest of the world by the Dwarfs?"

"You don't have to make fun of me." Hay-lee said sounding hurt. "I just thought that a bit of fun after… earlier might be… helpful."

"Hay-lee, I didn't… I'm…" Tira thought on it a minute. Her pondering eyes landed on her freshly caught game. "How about we go exploring after lunch and taking care of your ankle, deal?"

Hay-lee smiled up at her twin. "Deal."

After deciding that a fire to cook Tira's rabbit would be too conspectus above the hole, Hay-lee began to start a fire in the pit. Tira mean while began to tie the vine she had found around a near by tree. Making herself a way in and out of the hole.

Dropping her game, sword and Hay-lee's bow down into the hole she began to descend down the makeshift rope to join her sister. Feet slipping on loose rocks on the wall she managed to reach the bottom of the hole as Hay-lee finally got the fire going.

The two sisters worked in silence as they skinned the rabbits and plucked the bird. As the game cooked over the fire, Tira began to make a splint for Hay-lee's ankle.

"Ouch!" Hay-lee exclaimed as Tira pulled the ends tight. "Not so hard, Sis."

"I'm sorry, but it has to be tight, unless you prefer it falling off all of the time!" Tira replied.

While they ate their meal the girls couldn't help but discussing what could be beyond the fracture in the hole Hay-lee made earlier.

"What if we come across the secret world of the Dwarfs?" Hay-lee exclaimed excitedly.

"What if we run into a species still unknown to the rest of the world?" Tira asked.

"Or we came across the place where all of the missing people in Alagaësia are held prisoner by monsters worse than the urgals?"

Tira looked at her sister skeptically; her face plainly displayed her thoughts which said, '_I can't believe you just said that!'_

"What?" Hay-lee said defensively. "It could happen!"

Tira just shook her head.

"Oh come on! I'll show you!" Hay-lee said as she began to put the fire out. "Help me clean up and I'll prove to you the magic within that tunnel!"

Tira smirked. "You're on. But if there is none -which I'm telling you it's improbable for there to be any in the first place- you have to find us a place to sleep tonight and hunt for dinner!"

"You're so on!" Hay-lee declared as they cleaned up the last of their mess.

She picked up her sword and belted it to her britches. Next she grabbed her quiver, now carrying a total of eight arrows, and slung it over her shoulder while Tira belted her sword as well.

Hay-lee strung her bow and knocked an arrow. "I'll go first."

"No," Tira drew her sword. "You're injured."

"So we walk together?"

"Yeah," she swung her blunt sword over her shoulder, holding it with two hands, bringing it crashing down on the already splintered wood. Her blow caused the opening to double in size and it was now large enough for the two sisters to pass through side by side.

They began to walk through the opening when in the distance they could faintly hear the urgal horns again. Tira walked quickly to the vine she had used to climb down into the hole. She swung at the vine and missed. Her second swing cut the air and the vine in one somewhat jerky motion. Picking up the vine she began to roll it from her hand to her elbow, placing it around herself similar to Hay-lee's quiver rested on her shoulder.

Seeing Hay-lee's odd look she replied, "I want to make sure we have a way out. But if I were to leave it in tact, the urgals would see it and even those brutes would notice that someone had to be down here. For all we know this could be our only way out. I don't want to be trapped."

Hay-lee nodded in comprehension. "Let's go!"

The sisters entered the tunnel, steps equal to each other. The darkness began to engulf them the farther they walked; yet up a head there was a faint red glow. They walked to the light, pace together perfectly.

The girls didn't know where they were headed. Tira's sword was held in her right hand in front of her, nervous excitement flooding her emotions. Hay-lee had her bow ready, her excited and adventure hungry eyes searching for any sign of movement up a head.

It took longer than they had expected to reach the red light. When they finally reached it they noticed it was a fire-less lantern. Curious Hay-lee took the lantern from the wall and peered inside. All she could see was a simple sphere of red energy.

"Look, Tira! Magic!" Hay-lee's voice went shrill with excitement. "What did I tell you? Now you have to hunt find a place for us to sleep! I'll still do the hunting though. I could use the practice."

Tira was surprised. _Maybe Hay-lee was right! Maybe we will discover something magical here. Wait what am I saying. One lantern doesn't prove anything!_

They continued their walk. The path was covered with cobwebs and constantly turned or twisted at odd angles for a tunnel, almost as if it were a maze. At long last they reached a small, heavy metal door.

"Dwarf sized!" Tira muttered as she reached for the handle.

Opening the door the girls could see the inside. The walls were covered with the same mysterious lanterns that Hay-lee had examined out in the passageway; the only difference was the color. These shone a brilliant blue.

The room was decorated with the fanciest gold carvings the girls had ever seen. Multicolored gems covered the walls as well. The sight was awesome and astonishing.

Sitting upon pedestals were two stones, one a bright purple and the other was all whitish silver except it had faint dark blue veins running though it. The blue lights cast shadows upon the large stones, making it look like they were pulsing with life. Below them, on slightly lowered pedestals, were swords, blades forged of the same colors as the stones above them.

"What on earth?" Hay-lee muttered.

"Did these Dwarfs, um, worship, stones?" Tira asked amazed.

"I thought that Dwarfs were more normal than that, I mean, they're over grown PEBBLES!" Hay-lee exclaimed.

Tira laughed. "What happened to your sense of adventure?"

"It kinda died when I realized that the reason this place was abandoned was because the inhibitors all died of brain damage."

Tira was about to reply but the loud blast of an urgal horn interrupted her.

Both girls stared at each other with fear. That had sounded close.

"What're we gonna do?" Hay-lee asked Tira.

"Why are you asking me?" Tira was also alarmed.

"You're older!"

"Only by three minutes!"

The girls stared at the rocks and swords in front of them.

"I suppose we could trade in these stones for food and shelter in the next town we come across," Hay-lee said reaching for a stone.

The urgal horn sounded again, this time it sounded like it was coming from the beginning of the tunnel. Both girls sprang at the door and bolted it shut, fearing the urgals would try to find them at any cost.

"We should take the swords as well." Tira remarked. "They look better than ours, we can't kill urgals with blunt swords."

"Yeah, you're right." Hay-lee grabbed for the purple sword as Tira reached for the whitish silver one. Their hands landed on the handles at the same time.

The swords were cold and heavy, but just enough so to make a difference in battle. Both girls could still use one hand to swing them. The metal seemed to warm at their touch.

Hay-lee could see an odd mark on her sword, "Passion." She read out loud as she drew it.

Tira gave her an odd look and when she noticed that she was reading her sword's name she began to search for her symbol as well. "I can't read the sign on mine. It's not a symbol used in the books and scrolls we read."

Again the urgal horn sounded and the girls panicked as they noticed the urgals were halfway through the tunnel already. In a rush they both grabbed the stone the color of their swords and ran at a door on the far side of the room.

But as soon as the stones were taken from their pedestals an alarm of sorts went off and the room was shrouded with a strange smoke. The fog made it hard to breathe and the more of it they breathed in the harder it was to keep going.

"Hold your breath, Tira, and keep running!" Hay-lee panted gasping for air. "We have to get out of here!"

Tira nodded and pulled ahead of her sister some. She was the first one to reach the other door and for a minute thought that it was an illusion.

Grasping the handle Tira threw herself at the door, winding up with an aching side. Panic and fear flooded her as she noticed the door must be locked from the outside.

Hay-lee reached the door her ankle sore and lungs a flame. She couldn't figure out why Tira hadn't opened the door yet. Reaching out she too grabbed the door and yanked as hard as she could.

The door began to move little by little it was opening. Tira helped Hay-lee pull the door open feeling stupid. She should have known to pull the door as well before giving up hope.

As soon as the girls were in the tunnel beyond the door they hurriedly pulled it closed again. Out side of the mysterious worshipping room they began to breathe air that was crisp and free of pollutants.

In the distance they could hear a faint roar. Unsure of what dangers lay ahead of them the girls began to walk as fast as Hay-lee's ankle would allow them from the dangers behind them. Their new swords held out in front of them, ready to strike the next thing that popped out at them.

Surprisingly their journey was short. As they got closer to the end of the tunnel the roaring continued to grow louder and louder. Hay-lee couldn't think of what it could be. Not even a mountain lion could roar that long with out taking a breath!

Coming to the end of the tunnel they were surprised to see it came out behind a wall of falling water.

"Of course!" Tira shouted above the roar of the waterfall. "It's a waterfall!"

"I bet we're near Carvahall now," Hay-lee said. "See the small village?"

**Authors' Notes:**

**Rae**: Sorry it took so long for me to finish guys; I've been having lots of computer problems and such. Do you forgive me? I hope you liked the chapter, it isn't as good as Luna's but I tried! Review, review, REVIEW, por favor y muchas gracias mi amigos!

**Luna**: I love it. I love it. All though I hated picking dragon colors. Rae can confirm that. So now that you have finished reading a very good chapter, your going to do the right thing and click that little button that says "go" down there, so you can review. Because we all know what happens to people who don't review… Yea I don't know either.


	3. Talon, Esperanza, And A Hot Guy

**Aurthor's Notes:**

**Rae**: I love our story so far! I mean it's really good! Mad writes the good parts and I write the boring parts. Perfectly balanced, right? lol read and enjoy!

**Luna**: Yea my turn to write again. This would be great if the washing machine hadn't broken and if my over write wasn't on. But any ways here's the next chapter of Hay-lee and Tira. Oh and fyi, I'm not going by the books on how people look in this story, I'm going by the movie. Well because I think…well Rae knows why.

**Disclaimer:** I could say we wrote Eragon. I could say that we own it and everything associated with Eragon. (brrrrrrrr brrrr) Just minute…Got to go. That was the lawyers form Random House Inc. We have to be to court by three.

"Hay-lee you're a genius. You know that"

"Hey don't call me stupid!"

"I didn't call you stupid. I just said you were a genius."

"Stop calling me stupid. I'm not dumb."

"Yea I know that. You're _really_ smart." This was getting fun.

"See, there you go again. Stop calling me stupid," Hay-lee whined. It was a day after their adventures with the hole, rocks, swords, and urgals, and the first thing Hay-lee had managed to do was get them lost. In the Spine!

Of all the places to get us lost and she had to choose the Spine, Tira thought. I don't believe this. She's not the one who has to carry around these things. Tira adjusted the stones under her arms. Well now she was taking her revenge.

"You're mean you know that Tira?"

"Yep."

"Well stop it," Hay-lee whined again. "You shouldn't make fun of the crippled person."

"You not crippled," Tira replied.

"Yes I am. My ankle's broken."

Tira rolled her eyes. "That doesn't mean you're crippled."

"Yes it does. And everyone knows it's not cool to make fun of a cripple person."

"Your not crippled!" yelled Tira. "You have a broken ankle, that's it. It will heal, and you can still walk fine. Plus I was not making fun of you!"

Now it was Hay-lee's turn to roll her eyes. "What ever."

That night the girls made camp by a little river they found. Tira hunted and caught two rabbits and a bird, while Hay-lee gathered the wood and made a fire to cook the game, although she wasn't a very good cook. Most of the food was over done and dried out.

Tira put the fire out, and layed down next to her sister. It was a nice night out, a little cold, but still nice. Ok it was really cold out. Both girls were shivering. This sucks, thought Hay-lee. I'm cold and my ankle hurts. I want my bed. I'd put a curse on every single urgal that's alive if I could. Tira's thoughts weren't much different from her sister's. She too longed for her nice warm bed, instead of the cold hard ground.

The next day fortune smiled on the girls. Through Hay-lee's genus they managed to find a road, and within an hour, were in Cavahall, or what was left of it. All the buildings had burned down. There wasn't a soul left in the whole entire town. "What now," asked Tira.

"We salvage what we can, and then…" Hay-lee's voice trailed off. The girls spent the rest of the day digging through old ruins, but they never found anything useful. All the food was destroyed, the weapons had been taken, and then there was the occasion poke by a nail.

Soon enough the day gave way to dusk, and the girls were forced to stop and find a spot to make camp. Both of them were in a crabby mood that night. Neither of them had managed to catch any game, so both girls went to bed hungry.

In the middle of the night, Tira woke with a start. There were odd squeaking noses coming from the stones they had found. Tira woke up her sister, and they both looked at the stones.

"What's wrong with them," asked Hay-lee. "It's like they're alive." The two stones had started shaking. Cracks had started to appear. The cracks got bigger and bigger until pieces of the stones started to fall away. A purple head poked out of the stone in front of Hay-lee. She screamed and jumped back; Tira did the same as a white head came out of her stone. "They're eggs," remarked Hay-lee, comprehension drawing on her face. "Dragon eggs. Were going to be riders!"

"Riders," asked Tira uncertainly.

"Yea!" continued Hay-lee, "here Esperanza, come here."

"Don't touch it," exclaimed Tira. "What if it bites you?"

"Oh stop worrying, it won't bite me." Both girls reached out their right hands to touch their dragon. As they did, a blast of energy erupted in both their body. It raced though their veins causing pain in both girls. But as quickly as the pain had started, it stopped. Hay-lee and Tira both felt energetic, like a sugar rush, only a million times better. Never had they felt so open, and exposed though, like everyone in the whole could read their thoughts. Something rubbed against Hay-lee's conscience and she recoiled.

"I don't like this," said Tira, as something rubbed against her conscience too.

"You're over reacting its not that bad," Hay-lee lied as she petted her dragon. "You like that don't you Esperanza."

"Esperanza," asked Tira. "You're naming it Esperanza. Isn't that a girl's name."

"Well yea."

"But you don't even _know_ if it's a girl," Tira pointed out.

"Yea but I'm not checking."

Tira gave her a look. "How would you like to be named after a boy? Huh." Tira picked up the little white dragon, and looked at its underside to some very loud squeaks of displeasure.

"That's wrong," stated Hay-lee. "That's just wrong."

Tira let go of the dragon and it scuttled over to Esperanza. "And it didn't do me much good, I still don't know whether it's a boy or a girl."

"So big question what are you going to name it?"

"I like Talon."

"Talon, and you thought Esperanza was bad."

"I never said Esperanza was a bad name."

"You implied," Hay-lee pointed out.

"What ever, what are we going to do with them?"

"Go to the Varden of course, and help people who need it."

"I don't want to go to the Varden, and have to fight a war."

"You won't have to fight a war Tira."

"Please," Tira replied annoyed. "What do you think the Varden are all about?"

"Well it would be better than hiding like cowards. Honestly, sometimes you act so much like a baby."

"Baby," yelled Tira. "Whose the one who whines if she doesn't get her own way. Huh. Well tell me that."

Now Hay-lee was yelling too. "Well if you want to go hid like a selfish little brat and not help anyone, then why don't you go find your own spot to sleep!"

"Fine." Tira picked up the little white dragon, with blue spikes. "Come on Talon," and she stomped off fuming back toward the Spine.

"Honestly," Hay-lee said to Esperanza. "Sometimes she just can't think about anyone but herself. She'll get over it though. All we have to do is wait, and I guarantee you she'll be back within the hour."

But how wrong Hay-lee was. She waited up for her sister, but Tira never returned with Talon. She was still fuming about Hay-lee calling her a baby and selfish. It wasn't that Tira didn't want to help people. The reason she didn't want to go to the Varden was because Tira didn't want to fight a war, and that's what the Varden was all about, fighting King Galatorix, and she didn't want to do that.

By the time she reached the Spine, the moon was high in the sky. It was a full moon that night, so the ground was easy to see around the edge of the forest. The inside however was a different story. No light what so ever, came through the tree leaves.

It was the stupidest thing Tira had ever done; entering the Spine that night, just to trip over roots, and sticks all because of a stupid fight. Why she did it, she didn't know. It was probably because she was still mad at her sister, and wanted to put more distance between them. But what ever the reason was, the fact still remained that the Spine freaked her out.

Tira hugged the little dragon closer to her for warmth as she walked. The dragon gave a loud squeak, and then another, obviously it didn't like being held. "Just a little bit further," Tira told it. "Then you can run around all you want ok? Ouch, ahh oh stupid…Talon wait come back." In the darkness of the Spine Tira had managed to stub her toe on a rock, and drop Talon all at the same time. The dragon, now free of Tira's grasp, ran off to do some exploring of it's own.

Tira ran after it, not knowing how in the world she was going to find Talon in the darkness of the Spine. She had only gone a couple of feet, when somebody slammed her up against one of the trees, a knife to Tira's throat. "What do you think your doing in here," demanded a man's voice. He said something under his breath so quite and fast that Tira never heard it. Instantly a light appeared out of nowhere, and Tira saw the man's face. He had black hair that fell into his eyes, a very muscular body, and gray eyes. Hot guy hot guy hot guy hot guy hot guy hot guy hot guy hot guy, thought Tira. No matter what was going on around her, if the world was coming to an end, or if the sky was falling, Tira always had time to be boy obsessed.

"Well," the man demanded again, "what do you think your doing?"

Tira considered her options, but none of them seemed to be any good. And the knife was being pushed harder against her throat. So she decided to tell the truth. "My sister and I got into a fight, and I just wanted a place to be alone."

The man made a noise that was halfway between a snort and a laugh. "So you go tramping around the Spine in the middle of the night." There was a particularly loud squeak, and both of them looked down to see, to Tira's horror, Talon, fangs out, wings open. "Well well well, isn't this interesting." He put his knife away and crouched down to examine Talon.

Apparently the dragon was trying to be fierce, it had assumed a pouncing position, not unlike a cat, mouth still open, showing it's fangs, her wings (Tira, until further notice, had decided Talon was a girl) out, and tail thrashing all around.

The man stuck out a hand for the dragon to smell. "Here you go girl." But instead of smelling it, Talon took shot at biting the guy, but he was to fast for her. "Feisty little thing you got here, what's her name?"

Tira sat down next to the dragon. "Talon," she answered.

"That's a good name," The man stared into Tira's hazel eyes, and she stared back into his gray ones. For a moment it was as if he had lost his voice, but then he found it again. "I'm Murtagh," he said, getting up and offering Tira a hand to help her up as well. But she just looked at him. "Oh come on, I thought you were someone else."

"So you shove a knife to my throat?"

"Yea well like I said I thought you were someone else. Besides what can I do to you with such a fierce dragon guarding you?" A smile touched Tira's lips. These were dangerous times, and it was only natural to be defensive. And besides, thought Tira, I probably do look suspicious wandering around at this time of night in the middle of the Spine. She took Murtagh's hand, and he pulled her up of the ground.

"Thanks"

"No problem." He made to leave, then turned and asked, "Are you coming?" Tira for some unknown reason was grinning. She picked up Talon, and followed Murtagh. The probability of a meal, and possibly a place to sleep sounded good to her right then.

Murtagh had made camp in the middle of a clearing. Tira sat down next to the fire while Murtagh dished out three bowls of stew, one for himself, one for Tira, and one apparently for Talon who ate it happily.

After dinner was finished, Tira laid down next to the fire, with Talon curled up next to her. Murtagh was looking up at the stars and telling her about the constellations, but she didn't hear very many of his words because with in minutes she was asleep.

**Author's Notes:**

**Rae**: Can't wait for the next chapter! What do you guys think? I mean doesn't Luna write the best chapters? I'm with Luna when she says that posting might not be as fast as you would like (us either for that matter) but I have other stories to post and school work to get done. (Although Luna will be busy writing two chapters in a row, aren't you all so lucky? lol) Anyway, must add that Luna, once again you have done a marvelous job! Keep it up! (now if only I could do half as well we might actually have a good story!) What ARE you DOING here LISTENING to ME ramble? REVIEW already!

**Luna**: Ok I'm sorry it took me so long to get this chapter done, but I had to find a new website to play my music videos on, and with school approaching, then I got stuck…so yea. But it got done finally. Between writing more to my Spawn of Evil story and my other HP fic, it was bound to take awhile. Although neither of them got done. Anyways, I thought the fight between Hay-lee and Tira could have been better, along with whole Murtagh thing, and yes I know he has a thing for Nasuada don't worry about it, just forget that, I'm kind of debating on something with that. So it might get added in or it might not, what ever Rae thinks is best. Anyways, just review, won't kill you.


	4. Narsuada's Assine

**Author's Notes:**

**Rae: **Hey guys! We're back for another chapter! There is tooooo much homework. It's not even funny. I never before realized how much I love the weekend! lol, on with the fic!

**Luna:** Sorry it took me so long to write this. Too much homework and studying. You know how it goes. Anyways this is going to be so much fun. I stole Rae's chapter. So she gets to write the next two.

**Disclaimer: **We so didn't write Eragon because if we did, we would be rich enough to higher someone to do our homework for use. Know what that's not right, we wouldn't have homework cause we'd be out of school; yea we're out of school. Wait, ah man!

The dream came quick and clear that night. It was different from anything she had ever dreamed about before. She saw it through the eyes of someone else, yet it felt like Tira was herself.

She was standing in the back of crowed street, by a building. There were people all around her, cheering. Tira felt the heavy nife in her hand, her brain on the task ahead of her. She would have to be quick, if she wanted to get away.

Her target came into view, a woman. She was dark skinned, with black hair, and dark almond-shaped eyes. Her rear guards changed position every few seconds, around the high back chair, that the woman sat in. The front guards were stationary, alert, as if they expected something to happen. A girl walked beside the queen. She was no older than four or five, pale, with a silver mark on her brow that looked like the gedwey ignasia, but Tira ruled it out as unlikly due to her over active imagination, as Murtagh put it.

Tira shook her head to clear it, now was not the time to let her mind wander. She brought her knife up to her lips and kissed it for luck. Tira was a dead mark, dead being the key word. It would be an easy task, her guards were few, and didn't look very competinte. There was only one problem, Hay-lee. Tira's sister walked next to queen Nasuada, as her front left guard.

It had been almost five since Tira had seen her sister, and she didn't think know was the time for a family reunion.

Narsuada came into range. Tira tightened her hold on her knife. She had her shot. The throw was good, perfect. Tira watched as the knife sored through the air and hit the back of Narsuada's chair, and wobled.

Tira frowned, it was the stupid brat. She had known, or had seen the knife that was headed for Narsuada's head, and shoved her out of the way.

Already people were panicking. It was time to run. More people had assembled behind her. The crowd was hard to get through, everyone was pushing forward to get a better look.

Someone grabbed Tira.. "Here she is," shouted the man. "Here's the woman, who tried to kill Narsuada." Everyone turened to stare at a now stuggling Tira.

"Kill her," screamed a woman.

"Feed her to a dragon," yelled another.

"Make way," roared one of the gaurds.

Tira's mind raced. She was trapped like a rat. Quickly she drew a knife from her blet and stabbed the man in the chest.

_"Where are you?"_ came a voice inside Tira's mind, as she ran down an alley, Narsuada's guards on her tail.

_"I'm coming,"_ she replied

_"You're taking too long. I'm coming to get you."_

_"No, it's too dangerouse. You'll be picked to pieces."_

An arrow wized by Tira's head and she severed her conetion. She managed to steal a quick glance as she rounded a corner and came into a street. There were half a dozen men on her tail, including Hay-lee.

Tira let out a stream of curse words. She cursed her life, for the way it had turned out, for the fight her and Hay-lee had had all those months ago, and for her stupidity when it came to magic.

There was a light pressure building in Tira's brain as she found another alley. Cold, damp, and littered with garbage, a perfect place for the rats. The pressure in her mind increased, but Tira shoved it away.

Pain exploded in her right sholder, as an arrow hit it. Three more hit her squarly in the chest, one in the heart. Blood seeped through her clothes, as she fell to the ground, the life leaving her. The pressure in her mind building again. This time Tira couldn't get rid of it.

_Tira_, came a voice, _help._

_Murtagh_, she replied. His voice was low. She felt his pressence, he was weak. _Murtagh_, she thought again. But no answer ever came. Tira felt the last few seconds, before Murtaghs life slipped away.

"No," she crooked. Her eyes were heavy now, as if she hadn't slept for days. The pain in her chest unbarable. Tira let her eyes close, her breathing slowed till it was no more.

**Author's Notes:**

**Rae: **REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! That was a flippin' good chapter so you'd better REVIEW! lol Please?

**Luna:** I can't deside where to end the chapter, ahhhhhhhhhh. No we must leave it where it is. I'm sorry it's so short, but it just kind of came to me in a burst of inspiration. So review, review, review, review, review, and tell us what you think or else.


	5. Captured

**Disclaimer:** Eh-hem. Lots of people would LOVE to be mistaken for an author of such expertise and creativity. But me, I'd rather not be considered a guy, thanks!

**Author's Notes: **

**Rae: **Hey guys. Back again for another chapter. I'm sorry this took so long. Teachers shouldn't be allowed to bury you alive in homework… especially at the beginning of the year! Anybody who agrees had better review! Well I hope you enjoy this chapter! If not at least review and tell me what I could improve on.

**Luna: **I'm depressed because no one reviewed for my last chapter. L So after you finish reading this chapter, please review for both of them, even though we already posted a new chap.

**Thank Yous: **Thank yous go out to the following for all of their wonderful reviews: Sagestar, fire'sword' ice'paint'o.0, KikiKat193, SAGA123, and DragonRider2000! You guys are the best! Thank you ever so much for your reviews! They were greatly appreciated!

Hay-lee went to sleep that night feeling proud of sending her sister off. "Serves her right! She IS a crybaby! If we are truly Dragon Riders, it is our duty to use our powers for good. You know, Esperanza?"

The little purple dragon looked up at Hay-lee as if she understood was being said. Again Hay-lee felt something brush against her conscious. It was creepy. For the second time that day she pushed the feeling a way.

"Don't look at me like that." Hay-lee said looking at the baby dragon. "She'll be back by morning. Plus she knows how to take care of herself. I mean she was the only one I couldn't beat when sparing. She'll be fine."

The little dragon cocked her head like a cat, giving Hay-lee a questioning look.

"Esperaza! Please don't look at me like that! You wait and see. By morning she'll be back here waiting to help us with breakfast!"

And with that Hay-lee smothered the fire and laid down in the dirt. She refused to allow herself to feel guilty for her and Tira's fight. _She'll be back._ She thought to herself.

_At least that's what you hope._Came a reply.

Hay-lee being so close to sleep thought the voice was merely her conscious so she rolled over. She felt Esperanza come over and snuggle next to her.

"Good night, Esperanza." She muttered.

The next morning Hay-lee was awaken by the bright sunlight glaring in her eyes. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. Looking around she noticed that Esperanza had wondered a couple of feet away and was chasing a squirrel. Ironically she was about the same size as the squirrel.

Hay-lee pulled out her bow and strung it quickly. Next she knocked an arrow and drew it close to her cheek. Closing one eye she squinted with the other to get the squirrel in perfect target range.

Releasing the string she felt the air stir around her face from the release of the energy. She watched the arrow soar through the air, right over Esperanza. The purple and silver wooden arrow buried itself into the squirrel's back.

"Score!" Hay-lee said happily.

Esperanza turned and gave her a death stare.

Hay-lee could have sworn she could read the look on the dragon's face… some how the little thing managed to say, _" Why did you do that? I almost had it, too!"_

_God, Tira's right. I DO have a big imagination._

_Yes you do._

Maybe TOO big… 

Esperanza just stared at Hay-lee and then seemingly shook her head. She walked up to the squirrel and began to devour it whole.

"Hey wait! Don't eat my arrow!" Hay-lee rushed forward and pulled out her arrow.

Again Esperanza cocked her head and Hay-lee imagined her saying,****_"Honestly, did you truly think I was going to eat, THAT?"_

"I think I need to see a healer in the next village." Hay-lee muttered to herself.

The rest of the morning Hay-lee worked on finding more food to eat. She caught three birds and one rabbit, expecting Tira to show up and eat with her. Her twin never did show up so she ended up splitting her food with Esperanza.

Around noon Hay-lee was getting really worried. It wasn't Tira who got lost easily. So where was her twin?

"Here, Esperanza. Let's go look for Tira. I'm afraid something bad has happened to her."

The little dragon leaped up from her nap and chased after Hay-lee.

Surprisingly Hay-lee's ankle was better so she took off the splint. _Must have just sprained it_ She thought to herself as she jogged in the direction that Tira had taken last night. Hay-lee and Esperanza searched until it got dark but found no trace of Tira or Talon.

"TIRA!" Hay-lee called. "TIRA! WHERE ARE YOU?"

Stopping by a small stream Hay-lee got a drink and watched Esperanza. The little purple dragon was chasing a bird. But the bird got smart and decided to fly. Poor Esperanza's transparent wings weren't able to support her in mid air, so she looked like an odd little lizard jumping in the air.

Hay-lee laughed.

_It's not easy trying to fly! I'd like to see you try!_

Hay-lee shook her head. "Come on, Esperanza. We have to find Tira."

_What have I done?_Hay-lee asked herself. Guilt raising along with tears and the fear for her twin, her soul mate.

The little dragon seemed to sense that something was bothering Hay-lee for she ran to her side and jumped onto her right shoulder similar to a cat.

"Wow, that was quite a jump for a little creature like you!" she remarked halfheartedly.

Esperanza responded by rubbing her rough, scaly head against Hay-lee's cheek.

"Ouch!" Hay-lee said. "I know that was supposed to be nice and comforting and all, but that HURT!"

Bringing her hand up to her cheek she felt the blood and noticed something white on her palm. She tried to brush it off, but remembered that it was on her left hand, the hand she had touched Esperanza with the other day. This was the mark of the Riders, the Gilda Insignia.

She brought her hand up to pet Esperanza on the head when the dragon slipped into her quiver of arrows. Suddenly her hand began to tingle. Behind her she heard a twig snap and she whirled around, unsheathing Passion in the same movement. But her motion was too slow, for she thought it was Tira.

"Tira, where have you-"

Standing before her was not Tira but three large, burley Empire Soldiers. Hay-lee blanched. What was she supposed to do?

_Pretend like you are simply a lost hunter. _Suggested the voice, again it's consciousness rubbing hers.

Hay-lee semi-curtsied, "Noble knights." She said pleasantly.

"Are you a Carvahall villager?" asked one of them.

"Yes." Hay-lee said. "I was just out hunt-"

"You're coming with us." One said with a smile, grabbing Hay-lee's right wrist tight.

"What? Why?" Hay-lee began to panic. _What happened to Carvahall? Why am I being arrested?_

"Should we check her?" another asked with a smirk.

"We'll leave that up to the Head." Replied the third.

The second one said, "Aye, but that would ruin the fun of it."

"We do not serve the Empire for fun!" Retorted the third.

The first one stepped in-between the two to stop the fighting and let go of Hay-lee in the process.

_Run!_

Hay-lee didn't have to be told twice.

She ran fast. Even faster than she had when she and Tira were being chased by the Urgals. She ran as fast as she could and prayed that Esperanza wouldn't fall out of the quiver on her back.

All of a sudden pain rushed up Hay-lee's leg from her ankle and her knee gave way. She fell to the ground. Her vision went black thanks to the pain. She couldn't get rid of the darkness…

The pain in her ankle subsided and Hay-lee opened her eyes. The setting sun was bright in her eyes, yet Hay-lee could make out a tall shadow standing over her. She felt a strong arm pull her to her feet.

"Ahhh!" She shouted with pain.

"This is no villager of Carvahall." Replied the deep voice. "She's one of the traveling musicians."

"What should we do with her?"

"Lock her up. She must know something about Roan or Eragon."

"I don't know anything about those two." Hay-lee shouted.

"Ah, but you are a villager from Carvahall, no?"

"I am not!" Hay-lee said. "I told you I was simply a lost hunter."

"She's lying."

"I think we should search her."

"No. We will send her to the Urûbaen. From there one of the magicians can probe her mind or force her to work for the Empire, what ever they choose."

"I'm telling you, we should search her."

"She is a bit suspicious."

"I have nothing to hide and I am a loyal citizen of the Empire!"

"You will not search her or take her weapons. I don't trust you not to hurt her." The man pointed to the third man. "You will escort her to Urûbaen. And nothing will happen until you report her to the head there. Understood?"

"How do you know she isn't lying?"

"What if she tries to escape?"

"I still think we should frisk her."

"She is wounded so she can't get away, and if you touch a daughter of one of our soldiers I'll shoot you myself. Got that?"

"Yessir." The three of them replied at the same time.

"You two are under his command and he has the right to shoot you and her the right to stab you."

"Yessir."

"You'll leave at once. Get her a horse."

_Please, Esperanza. Stay hidden. What ever you do, don't come out. We're NOT going to work for the Empire. _

_Stay hidden._

That was what Hay-lee managed to say to herself over and over again. During the whole ride to Urûbaen.

That and _Ohmigod I lost Tira and now I'm being arrested and I have to go to _Urûbaen_ with guys that want… never mind… but I lost Tira and I've been arrested. God I'm leaving the last place I SAW Tira!_

**Author's Notes: **

**Rae: **Okay, how was this chapter guys? I understand that Esperanza learns to speak quickly, but desperate times call for desperate learning skills. lol it's call EVOLUTION People. Study your science terms! Could we have some reviews please? I mean we haven't had reviews since chapter two. Please boast our self-esteems just a LITTLE bit… please review please review PLEASE! I'm not going to write the next chapter until we get TWO new reviews! Better get busy!

**Luna: **I so totally fing love it. And I'm the biggest pain the… Anyways. I so totally fing love it. That should be a song. And yes we are still depressed cause no one ever took the time to review. So review, or no new chapter.


	6. Dirty Soldiers and Incest

**Disclaimer: **WE ARE SO FAMOUS! Not

**Author's Notes: **

**Rae: **Yay! Thank you thank you thank you!!! Chapter six is here and it will be a little different. For one, some of the story will be told from Eragon's POV, bear with me. This might turn out REALLY bad. But as normal, all reviews are welcome!

**Luna: **She writes slow, yes she does.

**Thank Yous: **Kikikat193

Chapter 6- Rescued 

Staring down at his saddle sore legs he realized that walking behind the wagon was better than riding the horses any day. What was he doing? He shouldn't be on a horse, especially a horse heading in the wrong direction. Tira was last seen going into the Spine, not toward where ever it was they were going.

He rested his hand on his sword hilt. If those men so much as dared to check him out he was going to dice them to pieces. Then he was going to allow Esperanza to have a great feast!

Esperanza. Thank goodness the little dragon had keep quite. She wasn't making any sounds at all. It was almost as if she could read his mind.

Wait, why were the men stopping? Could they be at their destination? It had only taken two weeks. Wasn't his trip supposed to be top priority?

"She needs to be locked up." One of his companions replied.

"What is her offense?" asked the gate guard.

"She refused to be frisked." Remarked the perverted one.

He noticed yet again that they were all dressed in the official Empire Armor.

Tira.

"Eragon! ERAGON!" Arya shouted. "You need to get up!"

"What?" Eragon asked looking up at the beautiful elf standing above him. He never actually slept anymore, but what he had seen was weird.

It reminded him of when he used to have visions of Arya when she was held against her will, poisoned and dyeing. Only he had seen what Arya had looked like. Now he was seeing through this person's eyes.

Was he a male or female?

It had to be a female or else he was traveling with queer soldiers. Eragon thought.

What are you going on about, Little One? Saphira asked.

Eragon shared his vision with Saphira and was more than ready to discuss it. But Arya had more urgent news to share.

"Eragon-elda, Nasuada needs to see you. She's expecting another day of battle."

Eragon smiled at Arya. "I'm fine thanks. And you?"

Arya blushed. "I'm sorry, Eragon. I've been trying to wake you for the last ten minutes." 

_Then we shouldn't keep Nasuada waiting, Little One. _Saphira suggested.

"Lead the way, Arya."

Arya lead Eragon and Saphira through the camp to Nasuada's tent. They walked between many sick and injured men. Eragon winced and paused to heal one with a displaced arm.

"This fighting has to stop," Eragon said to Arya. "You'd think that people would learn from the past."

"Except most don't because they think they can do better than their ancestors. Eragon, history is repeating itself in an odd sense. Power can not be held by one person alone, power should be held by all people equally."

"But is that truly possible?"

Arya did not answer as they entered the tent.

"Eragon!" Nasuada sounded relieved to see him. "Where have you been? Attacks could start at any moment- What's wrong?"

_Go ahead, Little One. This is important._

"There is another Rider and she's in trouble…"

"She?" Nasuada asked, amazed. "Has there ever been a female rider?"

"I'm not sure. But I know what I saw… it was similar to my visions of Arya, only I saw these through her eyes."

"And you say she is in trouble?"

"She's in the presence of perverted Empire Soldiers."

"I can't lose you in this battle…" Nasuada mused.

"But we can't afford for the Empire to find another Rider." Eragon argued.

He wasn't sure why he felt the need to protect this girl. Something about her demanded the need for urgent help. While seeing through her eyes Eragon had felt an endless sorrow and a deep guilt. She needed him, now.

"Are you sure this is the right thing to do, Eragon?"

"No. But I know it's what I need to do."

"Then you may leave immediately."

"Thank you."

**Authors' Note: POV switch to Hay-Lee.**

"What is her offense?" asked the gate guard.

"She refused to be frisked." Remarked the perverted one.

Tira.

What have I gotten us into? What have I gotten myself into? What am I…?

"Where's Esperanza?"

"Pardon me, Miss?" asked the gatekeeper.

"Um, I said, I have nothing to hide, but I am a daughter of the Empire. And if you frisk me, then you frisk the Empire and it's future soldiers. Don't turn me against my father."

The perverted soldier gave Hay-Lee a leering look causing her to shiver and reach for her sword hilt again.

"That won't be necessary." Said the leader of their group.

"You shouldn't do that, or we might have to take those away from you." Replied the gatekeeper at the same time.

"I'm allowed to keep them. The head at Carvahall said I could." Hay-Lee clutched her sword hilt and involuntarily reached for her bow.

"You're no longer in the care of the Military leader of Carvahall, little Missy." Snickered the pervert, taking a step closer.

"I think not." Replied the head of the group, unsheathing his sword before him. "I'm not going to let you lay your filthy hands on this girl when it's my head in compensation."

"She's not all that good looking anyway," muttered the soldier as he sauntered off in the direction of the forest.

"What do you propose we do with her?" the gatekeeper asked. "If we can't do as we please."

"You treat her like the lady she is and hold her until her father comes to bail her out." Replied her savior.

The gatekeeper smirked.

"Try anything and it'll be your head, mark my words."

"Yes, Sir." The gate man nodded slightly. "Right this way madam. May I ask you what it is that got you in this predicament? Was it by any chance-OW!"

"I meant every word." Growled the leader. "I'll take it up with your head if I have to."

The gatekeeper escorted her to the jailhouse. "Fine you stay here and we'll just wait until your father comes, then."

He locked the door behind himself when he left. His mood was still pleasant however and it bit at Hay-Lee like an angry snapping turtle.

Looking out her barred window she wondered what she was going to do. Her father had been dead a long time ago and never would have worked for the Empire. She had lost any sign of Tira and she was locked up in a house full of horny guys that wanted something she wasn't about to give them. Thankfully they hadn't taken her weapons. They must have thought of her as too girlie to use them.

_They had better think again! _Hay-Lee thought to herself with fierce determination. _Well actually, it'd be better if they rethought it AFTER I've left!_

_That's the spirit._

_I'm going insane…_

"Esperanza, you can come out now." Hay-Lee whispered. "I'm sorry you had to stay cooped up in there. Bet that wasn't- Hey! You're bigger than I remember!"

_It's called growing. I'm hungry._

"Uh, are you hungry, Esperanza?"

You know we'd have less of a chance of getting caught if you would simply stop being stubborn and speak to me through your thoughts.

_And give in to the insanity? Never. _"Um, I don't know when we'll get anything to eat. But you're still small enough to slip out between the bars of the windows."

_Humans._ Esperanza gave an irritated shake of her head. _I'm not leaving until you speak to me in Mind Speak._

"This is insane…" Hay-Lee muttered. She picked up Esperanza and placed her through the bars, but Esperanza wouldn't leave.

I've given in to the insanity quite fast… Esperanza, if you can hear and understand me, stand on your hind legs.

To Hay-Lee's surprise Esperanza stood on her hind legs.

Coincidence.

_Try me again. _Esperanza dared.

Fine. If you can hear me, go hunt a squirrel for me to eat.

Esperanza leap up to the windowsill and out into the darkening night. She turned around only once to make sure that Hay-Lee was watching before darting off into the forest.

_Please be safe. _Hay-Lee thought. _And don't get caught._

_What do you take me for? A human?_

Hay-Lee laughed. _I've given into the insanity. I'm a failure._

_You know, instead of moping about, you could be thinking up ways of getting yourself out of this mess. _Suggested Esperanza.

_Right. _Hay-Lee thought. "At least that's not an insane thought coming from the little voice in my head." She muttered.

Hay-Lee thought for three hours before she began to drift into dreamless sleep. All she had managed to come up with were stupid plans such as, killing all of the guards in her path. But Hay-Lee wasn't a murderer. Another idea was to send Esperanza out for help, but that would revile her identity and possibly put Esperanza in danger. She could try and break the bars off her window, but that would take too much time and cause too much noise.

Esperanza came back an hour before the sun came up. She licked Hay-Lee's sleeping form with her rough tongue. Hay-Lee opened her eyes and looked about.

She was surprised to see Esperanza sitting on her bed. _Hey. It's really too early, I was trying to-_

Hay-Lee was cut off. Sitting at Esperanza's front claws was a squirrel.

_I'm sorry it took me so long. My hunger got the best of me. Plus you've never let me hunt on my own much so I'm still not all that great at it. _Esperanza was rambling quite nervously.

Hay-Lee smiled brightly and patted Esperanza lovingly on the head. _You don't know how good that squirrel looks to a girl who hasn't eaten in a whole day. Thank you._

_Believe me, I do._

_You know if you do all the hunting for me while we're in here, I won't be forced to eat the food they serve me._

_True. And who knows what they put in it?_

Hay-Lee wrapped her arms around Esperanza who was now the size of a small kitten. _I love you._

_I love you, too. _Again Esperanza licked Hay-Lee's face.

That was their plan for the next three weeks. Esperanza would do all of the hunting for the both of them. Meanwhile Hay-Lee would feed the birds her food and would watch them keel over dead. She felt terrible, but she had to get rid of the food and they wouldn't stay away from it.

Most likely it's just poison to weaken you, but it's way too much for there little bodies.

Yeah. I feel terrible.

It's their life or yours. Plus you've warned them time and time again. It's their fault that they don't heed it.

Hay-Lee smiled. Esperanza, I think I've found a way to get us out of here.

Good, because I think I'll be too big to climb in and out of this window before long. What's your plan?

**Authors' Note: POV Switch to Eragon.**

Okay, Eragon. What's your plan for saving this girl you've never seen before?

You know how I had another vision of her?

You mean through her eyes?

Yes. Well those guards said they were going to lock her up until her father came to bail her out.

So we're going to leave it to her father?

No. She doesn't have a father, well at least not any more. I think he died a while back.

Well?

I'll magically alter my appearance, and pose as her brother. That should work, right?

Sure, I guess that will work. Saphira sniffed. I still think it would be better to blow the place up.

And let them know that Eragon the Rider and Saphira the Last Female Dragon are present? I think not.

Suit yourself, Little One.

You land in the forest and stay out of sight.

Why do you always send me so far away? How am I to protect you if I'm in the forest?

Do you think this girl would have a Rider as a brother?

No.

And neither will the guards.

How will you alter your appearance to look like her if you've never seen her? Saphira asked as she landed.

I don't think it will matter, as long as I don't look like Eragon. Eragon replied unbuckling his legs. Thanks for the ride.

You know it wasn't as hard as the first time.

Eragon smiled. He and Saphira had grown a lot in body and mind since they had been here last. This time he was going to get away with the girl and nobody was going to get hurt, although it wouldn't be so bad if he could kill any important leaders here, waiting for instructions to head south.

Little One, be careful.

Eragon nodded and muttered the works in the Ancient Language that would transform his appearance into one less recognizable. How do I look?

Very handsome. Trying to win someone's heart?

Yeah right. Eragon thought.

Just teasing you, Little One.

I know. Here goes.

Eragon walked up to the gatekeeper. He just so happened to be the same one whom was on duty when Hay-Lee arrived.

"Hello. I'm here for my sister. She was brought here by Empire Soldiers from Carvahall."

"Oh, really? And what would that little slut's name be?" he asked with a snicker. "I haven't been able to get much of anything from her. Not even a kiss. But I know why she was arrested. She just isn't happy because she knows I have nothing to pay her."

Eragon was appalled. Had he been wrong? Involuntarily he slapped the guard's man. "Don't you speak of her like that!"

The gatekeeper snarled. "Who do you think you are? Slapping a member of the Royal Army?"

"I'm a son of the Empire. You have no right to speak of my little sister like that."

"That as it maybe. I can not give her to you."

"And why not?" Eragon demanded.

"I've had orders to only give her to her father who comes to bail her out."

"My father is down south fighting for the Empire. How the hell is he supposed to come and bail her out?"

"I don't know. But I personally hope he doesn't come back so I can do with her as I please."

Eragon slapped the man, but this time he also slapped him with a bit of magic. The man slumped over.

"Hey!" Eragon called. A soldier poked his head out of a barrack. "This man just passed out! Someone get some help!"

Moments later he found himself in the Head's tent explaining what had happened, for the third time. "I was asking to see my sister, she was arrested in Carvahall. I told him that I was here in place of my father to bail her out and he just slumped over. I think he had a heart attack or maybe fainted of too much sun or something. I'm not sure, I'm no doctor."

"I see. Thank you. And you say you are here for your sister."

"Yes."

"We've been waiting a while for someone to come and fetch her." The man replied.

"I had no clue where she went for the longest time. I was going up to Carvahall to see if the soldiers there needed any supplies and she refused to stay at home. At first I thought she simply got lost in the Spine somewhere. And then when the man who brought her here got back, he told me she was here. I got here as fast as I could."

The man nodded. "Jack, take him to his sister."

A man who had been standing in the shadows stepped forward. "Yes, sir."

**POV Switch to Hay-Lee.**

Okay. Hay-Lee said. Do you hear them coming?

Yes. I can hear foot falls in the passage. Esperanza replied.

Hay-Lee turned around and faced the window. I can't believe I'm doing this.

You're only going to distract him long enough so I can bite him.

Then I'm going to slit his throat and run.

Yes. Are you ready? The footfalls are getting closer.

As ready as I'll ever be.

Hay-Lee readjusted her shirt. This was a dirty trick, and by dirty it made her feel worthless. It's going to save my life and help me find Tira. She kept telling herself.

Suddenly she heard the key in the lock. The door was beginning to creak open. Hay-Lee closed her eyes and prepared to turn around.

Hay-Lee, wait! There are two of them and one of them smells like you.

What? Hay-Lee quickly adjusted her shirt again.

He smells like you. Kind of like Dragon too. He's really strong who ever he is.

Right. So now what?

Make yourself look lady like and presentable and hope he's here to bail you out.

Hay-Lee did as Esperanza suggested and was secretly thankful she didn't have to pretend to want to give the guard what he wanted to escape.

She didn't turn around until she heard a young man say, "Sister!"

Hay-Lee was completely confused. Who was he?

Whirling around to face the door Hay-Lee barely heard Esperanza tell her to play along. Standing in the doorway was none other than Eragon Shadeslayer.

Play along! Hay-Lee.Call him brother.

Damn, I have one sexy brother. Hay-Lee remarked.

"Brother!" Hay-Lee shouted, throwing herself at him. She felt his arms lock around her waist and felt safe.

"I never thought I would find you. What the hell were you thinking, wandering off like that?" Eragon demanded.

"I'm sorry. I was hungry and wanted to go hunting." Hay-Lee replied. Ohmigod, he is good looking.

Esperanza snorted.

Eragon ignored the sound and pulled Hay-Lee closer. "You moron."

Hay-Lee closed her eyes happily and repeated, "I'm sorry, brother."

Thank god you didn't say my name out loud. Eragon's voice resounded in her head. How can you see through my magic? Are you indeed a Rider?

Yes. Hay-Lee replied in Mind Speak. But my sister and I stole our dragon eggs from some underground Dwarf passage. We are not meant to be Riders.

Talon and I hatched for you and Tira, didn't we? You were meant to be Riders. Esperanza pointed out.

You say you and your sister are both Riders? Eragon questioned sounding surprised. Then he added, Your dragon is right you know.

Hay-Lee pulled away and said out loud, "Can we go home now, Brother?"

"Yes." Eragon replied. "Thank you, sir."

The man standing in the doorway nodded and said, "Would you like me to escort you out?"

**Authors' Notes:**

**Rae: **Well? What do you think? Good? Bad? In-between? Please Review!

**Luna: **Omg, Rae writes so good doesn't she? A little bit of a dirty mind yes, but how can you hate this chapter. Dirty soldiers and incest. Next up, Tira's point of view done by me, but that could take a while. I'm writing a new story Escaflowne, and that has to get up first. So read that too. It's really good.


	7. That's A Big Dragon

**Disclaimer:** Please if we actually wrote Eragon/Eldest would you be reading this right now? We don't think so.

Authors' Notes: 

**Rae: **Thank you Dragon Rider 2000 for your lovely review. Luna got to write this chapter sooo... (grabs bag of popcorn and starts to read) ENJOY!

**Luna: **I'm sorry it took me so long to write this. I wanted to finish the third chapter to Love and War which you people have no clue what it is. Plus I'm having horrible writers block on everything. And to top it all off the stupid computer wouldn't load this onto the wed site! How lame is that. Oh well it's on now.

Tira woke up, stiff and sore. She had a horrible bile taste in her mouth. Lifting her head up, she looked around the campsite. It was morning. The fire was banked. Someone had thrown a blanket over her during the night. _Probably Murtagh_, she thought smiling to himself. Another thought crossed her mind. Where were Murtagh and Talon? Where was her little dragon friend?

"Talon," she called. "Talon where are you?" Right on que there was a little squeak and Talon came bounding out of the trees. A smile crossed Tira's face. Talon was so cute. She bent down and picked up the dragon, stroking its back. Then the two of them went off in search of Murtagh who was probably out hunting.

The waterfall raged loud and clear, splattering water all over the place into a pool at the bottom of it. Tira set Talon down on the bank of the pool. She had searched for Murtagh for what had to be an hour, but hadn't found any trace of him. She pulled of her dress, a little self conscious with Talon there, but it seemed like forever since she had had a bath. She placed her clothes on some rocks by the waterfall so the water would wash over them, and hopefully get them cleaner.

The water was bone chilling, but not very deep. It barely reached up to Tira's armpits. She floated on top of it, while Talon swam beside her making little squeaks of pleasure every now and then. Obviously the cold didn't bother her. Despite the water's freezing temperature it felt good to wash all the dirt and grim off.

As Tira floated, she tried to remember the dream she had had last night. What had it been about again? Something to do with something. Tira skewed her eyes shut. Why couldn't she remember? Normally her dreams where so easy to recall. But this one, it was different. It just was.

Her mind floated from her troubled dreams to Murtagh. Where was he? Had he a banded her like she had a banded Hay-lee? Hay-lee. Guilt filled Tira's heart. She shouldn't have left her sister, not over a stupid fight. _It was a stupid fight,_ she told herself. _I should go find her. _

Tira dunked her head under the water hoping it would clear it. But it didn't. A muffled roar reached her ears. Quickly she brought her head up out of the water and wiped her eyes. There standing on the shore was a big huge smelly urgal, sword out. It gave another roar, and every muscle in Tira's body locked up. She was defenseless, and that thing was so huge. Talon gave a loud squeak that was probably meant to be fierce.

The monster took a step toward the water. "Food," it muttered. "Food. Me want food." Tira couldn't move. She was too scared. Her brain screamed do something, her body screamed something else though, something she just couldn't control. Talon was squeaking and growling like Tira had never heard her before.

By now the urgal had entered the water. _"Move,"_ screamed Tira's brain. _"Do you want to die?"_ Tira tried to move her legs, but they felt like they were caught. She took a quick glance down. Her heart fell. She was trapped in weeds. They had wrapped themselves around her. She twisted this way and that, trying to move, to free her legs, but she only got caught up more.

The urgal let out a piercing holler. Tira looked up to see a blade being removed from its chest as the monster dropped down into the water dead. And there stood Murtagh, his face grim, with a bloodied sword in hand. "Are you ok?" he asked.

Tira just nodded. Her cheeks were burning red. _Oh my god, you have to be fing kidding me, _she thought.

"We should get going," continued Murtagh who was obviously oblivious to Tira's embarrassment. "There could be more of them around."

"Um, um, I'm kinda stuck in the weeds."

"Don't worry about it," he said muttering something in a strange language. "Now let's go."

Tira started to wade her way back through the water to her clothes. When she got to the rocks where her dress was her face fell. There was nothing there on the rocks. Her dress was gone. Frantically Tira plunged her head under the water, but all she saw was sand and rocks. Her dress was gone. It was gone!

"What's wrong?" asked Murtagh turning around.

"Um...um…um…" stuttered Tira blushing even harder. This was great just great. "I can't find my dress."

"Aren't you wearing, oh," comprehension dawned on Murtagh's face. "I'll go get you some of my clothes," he said rather annoyed.

Ten minutes later, with soaking wet hair, and a pair of too big pants and a shirt on Tira followed Murtagh back to camp. "But wait," she yelled after him. "I need to find my sister."

"I already went to Cavernhall this morning for supplies. It was totally destroyed. Your sister's not there. Like I said I already looked."

"But," she continued.

Murtagh spun around to face Tira. His face was a mixture of annoyance and anger. "Listen," he snapped. "I already told you I looked. She's not there. So drop it."

Tira took a few steps back. She didn't no what to say. What was there to say? _Jeesh, PMS_, she thought.

"Lets go," he continued turning around.

The rest of the walk back to the camp seemed to take forever. The silence was numbing. As Murtagh cleared away the last few branches for Tira her jaw dropped. "That's a big dragon." There sitting in the middle of the camp site was a big red dragon. It gave a loud roar as the two of them approached it. Murtagh dragging Tira.

"You're… you're… you're,"

"A rider," he finished. "And so are you,"

"But, but, but," as Murtagh climbed on its back he offered his hand to Tira.

"Listen," he said trying not to sound annoyed. "You want to find your sister?" Tira nodded. "I'll help you. Now we really should get going before any more urgals show up." Tira still didn't move from the side of the dragon.

"Trust me," he said.

She stood still, undecided. What could she do? How could she go running off with Murtagh? She hardly knew him! It wasn't safe for someone her age to go running off with some guy, and that's just what he was. Some guy who had put a knife to her throat. He was some guy.

One word ran through Tira's mind that got rid of all her doubts. _Hay-lee_. She had left her sister. Now she was gone. Tira had to find her. Unwillingly she scooped up Talon and took Murtagh's hand.

They flew southeast. The further they went the harder it became for Tira to breath. The air became hot and heavy. The sky seemed to grow darker. Nothing was green anymore it was all brown. Brown and dead.

The city they came to was the worst place Tira had every seen. Even from where she sat on the back of the dragon, she could tell that she wasn't going to like it. There seemed to be a dark cloud that hung over it. The sun never shown in a place like this. The streets looked small and crowded in side the tall black walls. At the far end perched high on a cliff was a castle made out of black stone. It hurt Tira's eyes to look at it.

"Where are we," she asked Murtagh.

"In Urû'baen," he relpied curtly, not meeting her eye. A chill ran through Tira's spine, not because of the city, not because of the castle, but because ever since they had left the Spine Murtagh hadn't met her eye anymore. And that's what scared her the most. The fact that she kenw he was hidding something.

**Authors' Notes:**

**Rae:** REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!! Por favor mis mejores amigos!!! You know you want to, so do it already!!!

**Luna: **Oh please review for my wonderfull chapter. My next chapter is not going to be as interesting as Tira getting caught in her underwear by an urgal, but it's still going to be interesting. I'm going to have so much fun with it. Let's just say that I've picked up a bad habbit from Rae. Lol.


	8. Randomness

**Disclaimer: **(Drooling) E-r-a-g-o-n… oh wait! You seem to think that we happen to be one person with multiple personalities… You also seem to think we're a famous male by the name of Christopher… NEWS FLASH! You're _absolutely_ right… … (Shakes their heads) morons

**Author's Notes:**

**Raekitty13: **Thank yous go to the following: _Geometryroxmysox, Cocoapuffaddict, DragonRider2000 & RiderTyler14_. I apologize a head of time; this chapter is rather scatterbrained, jumping from POVs with random fluff… I hope you enjoy it all the same! As always reviews are always welcome, reviews of all kinds…

**Luna32: **Shakes Head Rea quite reviewing for our story. Any ways….I'm going to go get some nice lovely movie snacks so I can read this. Bone Apitete

"That would be great." Eragon said with a smile. "Sister, grab your stuff and we'll be off."

Hay-Lee placed her quiver on the ground and began to grope beneath the bed, pretending to search for something. _"Come on, Esperanza, into the quiver, girl."_

"_I think I had one too many squirrels…" _Esperanza said trying to squeeze into the too small bag.

"Are you coming, Sister?" Eragon asked impatiently, they were so close to leaving with out making a big scene… what could possibly be wrong?

"_Eragon!" _Hay-Lee thought desperately. _"Esperanza is too big to fit! How are we going to get her out?"_

"_Calm down. I'll just work a little bit of magic." _Eragon told her. He felt for his magic source, gathering the needed energy from the seemly ever-lasting flow and released it in one thought.

The bag under the bed expanded and Esperanza scurried in. When Hay-Lee pulled the bag out it was seemingly the same size. _"Is she really in there?" _ Hay-Lee thought to herself in surprise.

"_Do you doubt my magic ability?" _Eragon demanded. He had learned from Brom that it wasn't nice to listen in to other people's thoughts, but there was something about this girl. He couldn't put his finger on what it was exactly, but her mind was like a safe place, one peaceful haven in a world full of war and terror. He liked the feel of her conscience snuggled against his…

"_Of course I am. Where else would I be?" _Esperanza retorted with a snort.

"_Shhh…" _Hay-Lee warned as she and Eragon walked past the guard who walked them to the gate.

"_Eragon." _Saphira called as soon as he and Hay-Lee rounded the bend, pulling their horses to a stop in front of her and the forest she had been hiding in.

"_Yes?"_ Eragon asked, knowing full well that he was going to get a speech about a person's thoughts.

"_Nothing."_ Saphira replied as Eragon helped Hay-Lee climb up onto her back.

"Are you sure I have to fly?" Hay-Lee asked, refusing to let go of his hand. "It's already so high up!"

"_She's afraid of heights?"_ Saphira snorted. _"How is she to help us?"_

"_Don't make fun." _Eragon chided his dragon. _"I was scared the first time I flew you too!"_

"_You had a reason to be afraid." _Saphira told him. _"She on the other hand has you. Tell her to stop being such a dragon-ling."_

"_She can hear you. You tell her." _Eragon replied to Saphira. He smiled at Hay-Lee and said, "I can't afford any more time away from the Varden and the war. Flying is the fastest way back, unless you want to ride back on a horse…"

"No, way!" Hay-Lee exclaimed shaking her head. "Can you imagine the trouble I'd have with any random thug? I mean, I was captured by the Empire and look what they did to me!"

Eragon smiled to himself as he swung his leg up over Saphira. He strapped his left leg into the loop, but tied Hay-Lee's right leg in with the other strap. "So you don't fall out." He explained. "Now, hold on tight."

"You're enjoying yourself too much, Eragon." Saphira warned as she took off.   
"Eragon?" Hay-Lee called, but Saphira was making too much noise and Eragon couldn't hear her. "I want out!" Esperanza cried again. "I'm getting claustrophobic in here!" 

"ERAGON!" Hay-Lee tried again. _"Screw it. I think you're stuck as of right now, Esperanza…"_

"What do you mean I'm enjoying myself too much? Who says I'm enjoying myself…" Eragon smiled as Hay-Lee's grip tightened around his waist, a slight blush creeping across his face. "Okay," He confessed, "What's so wrong with liking her?" 

"_Oh, so now you like her? What about Arya?" _ Saphira purred.

"_Why do you care so much? I though you didn't approve of my fancy for Arya." _Eragon retorted.

"_You don't have to snap, Little One." _Saphira said softly. _"I don't approve of your fancy for Arya, but how do you know you can trust this one with your heart?"_

"_I think she likes me, too." _Eragon admitted, blushing again sharing with Saphira his memories of saving Hay-Lee. _"She just… I don't know what it is about her but-"_

"_ERAGON!"_

"What?!" Eragon responded immediately to Hay-Lee's cry, but it took him several minutes to realize it was a mental one. _"What? Are you okay? Are you hurt or scared? What's wrong?"_

Hay-Lee blushed slightly. _"I'm fine. It's Esperanza. We kinda left her in the quiver bag…"_

"_Oh! That could be a problem."_ Eragon replied. _"Can she fly?"_

"I don't know, Esperanza, can you fly?" 

Eragon dragon that w was caught off guard; he shouldn't be able to hear Hay-Lee's thoughts to her as a little too personal. He blushed deeply. Yet, he simply couldn't close his mind to the two of them…

"_I don't know. I've never really tried. I mean I jumped and glided for a while- but nothing major." _Esperanza explained. _"I don't really feel like testing it at the moment, considering failure now consists of pummeling to my death…"_

"_Convinced that you're a little more than fond of this new Rider, yet, Eragon?" _Saphira asked.

"_Stop being a thorn."_ Eragon snapped.

"_So what are we going to do with her?" _Hay-Lee asked laying her head on his shoulder as if speaking to him, making Eragon think she might actually be speaking in both mind-speak and verbal-speech at the same time. All the same he felt his face flush and his heart race. _"I don't want to leave her in there. She say's she's feeling claustrophobic."_

"_Think she can last until lunch?" _Eragon asked, adjusting to her closeness, trying to calm his spastic nerves. If she were to tell him no he would have stopped Saphira mid-wing span to make Hay-Lee and Esperanza more comfortable…

"_Someone's a bit love sick!" _Saphira hummed.

"_Zip it!"_ Eragon threatened. _"I'm just trying to make her and Esperanza comfortable…"_

Esperanza had been, in her opinion, rather quiet and respectful. Yet she was just itching to speak to Saphira. She was just afraid to say anything, waiting respectively for the elder dragon to say something first.

She had so many questions! And while Hay-Lee had been the best parent she could be to a little dragon, in comparison, she didn't have scales or a tale. Now here in front of her was one of her own blood. One who knew what it was like to be so curious about her surroundings, one that knew so much more knowledge than she did.

Yet Esperanza respectfully kept her silence. Only occasionally complaining to Hay-Lee whom then loyally voiced her wishes with Eragon. And what exactly was going on between those two anyway?

Esperanza decided to ask. _"So, what's up between you and Eragon?"_

"_What are you talking about? He saved us, now he's taking us to the Varden. What else is supposed to be there?"_ Hay-Lee asked.

"_You tell me, I'm the youngest here, you know."_

"_I thought dragons were smarter than humans." _Hay-Lee replied.

"_Are you implying I should be able to place this odd, warm and bubbly feeling you two are creating?"_

"_Yes."_

"_What if I place it wrong assuming it's something ancient called-"_

"_Eragon, are you ready to stop for lunch yet? I've flown quite far and it's almost noon." _Saphira asked Eragon, causing him to jump slightly.

"_What if I asked you- what's so wrong with-"_

"_Lunch. Good idea,"_ Eragon responded, wondering slightly what Esperanza and Hay-Lee had been talking about. He had his suspicions, but the last thing he wanted to do was make a fool of himself again like he had done when he had liked Arya.

"_You're becoming wise, Little One." _Saphira commented to him.

"_Yeah, but I'm beginning to wonder if fools have more fun."_

"_Fools can fool around all they want-"_

"_What's so wrong with fooling around?"_ Eragon demanded.

"Perhaps you're still three parts fool…" 

"_No really. Tell me. What's so wrong with coming forth with one's feelings."_

"_One of you gets hurt if the other isn't sure, if the other is afraid, scared off by the other's sense of intimacy." _Saphira tried explaining. _"Look at what happened between-"_

"_Stop using my mistake with Arya as your reason for disliking… I don't even know her name!"_ Eragon couldn't believe he was having such feelings for someone that he didn't even know. Then again the same thing practically happened between him and Arya… was he about to make the same mistakes with this new Rider as he had with Arya?

"_I wasn't going to use you and Arya as an example! I was going to use me and Glaedr."_Saphira snapped. _"Eragon, I just don't want you to get hurt again, and you're jumping into this pretty fast all over again."_

"_What can I say? I find damsels in distress attractive." _Eragon teased. _"What's so wrong with that?"_

Saphira laughed, _"The fact that most of these women, under normal circumstances, are most likely independent and after the first initial shock is over, they no longer need you."_

"_Don't rub it in." _Eragon moaned.

"OMIGOD!!! ERAGON!!!" Hay-Lee's shouts were as loud as her internal thoughts clinging to Eragon as if for dear life. _"ERAGON!!! OMIGOD! OMIGOD! OMIGOD! WHAT THE HELL!"_

"_Hey! Hey! Calm down! Calm down! What's wrong?"_ Eragon demanded twisting around in the saddle.

"OMFG! WTH IS GOING ON?" Hay-Lee shouted at the top of her lungs all the while thinking, _"OMFG SOMEONE SAVE ME! SAVE ME! OMFG Wha IS GOING ON???"_

"_What the h-"_ Eragon couldn't find out what was so wrong! Why was this girl freaking out so bad? _"Oh." _Then he realized that Saphira was in the middle of one of her fast, heart stopping noise dives. While he had grown accustom to them, how could he have expected someone else to enjoy it?

"_Saphira!" _He growled. _"What the HELL are you doing?"_

"_Sit back, shut up and enjoy yourself." _Saphira told him playfully going into a spiral, causing Hay-Lee to scream again and clutch onto Eragon even tighter. _"After all, what's so wrong with that?"_

Eragon smiled as Saphira began performing more of her stomach lurching, heart stopping, and head dizzying dragon tricks. His smile deepened as Hay-Lee clutched him, also causing a blush just as deep to paint his face. Turning his head slightly he noticed that Hay-Lee had her head buried in his back, her hands clutching frantically at his shirt. He moved her hands gently so that they were once again around his waist.

"_It's okay. So- how does lunch sound?" _He asked.

Hay-Lee whimpered then screamed at the top of her lungs again. _"LUNCH?"_ she demanded. "ERAGON!"

Eragon smiled and turned around in the saddle and placed his arms around her, pulling her close. _"I told you it was okay. We're just landing. You'll get used to it eventually."_

Hay-Lee felt him turn around in the saddle and as soon as he was done moving she began to clutch at him for dear life again. She tried opening her eyes to look at him, but ended up screwing them shut again, burying her head in his shoulder. Listening hard, she could hear his heart beating just as fast as her own, over the sound of the wind whistling past and Saphira's wing beats. Hearing this only made her heart beat faster, she was pretty sure that if it went any faster that it would explode!

Eragon chuckled lightly and she felt the slight vibrations rather than having heard them. She felt rather silly, he could hear her thoughts and thought her a retard for being so afraid and for liking how close he- HOW COULD SHE LIKE HOW CLOSE HE WAS WHEN SHE WAS ABOUT TO FALL TO HER DEATH?

"_Hey. It's okay, I promise you."_ Eragon said soothingly. _"I promise, so trust me."_

Hay-Lee considered nodding but decided against it. _"I trust you."_

"_Good. If I'm to teach you all I know, you're going to need to trust me."_

"_Eragon?" _Hay-Lee asked. _"The first time you flew, where you this scared?"_

"_More so."_ Eragon replied. _"The first time I flew, Saphira had me between her talons and when I managed to get up onto her back, I almost fell of like three times. Then when we landed, I was so saddle sore my legs were bleeding."_

Hay-Lee shivered in his arms and he added to Saphira, _"Can we pull off a smooth landing?"_

"_Of course, what do you take me for, a sky diver?"_

Eragon smiled as they landed firmly on the ground.

"Have we landed?" Hay-Lee asked out loud.

"_No." _Esperanza said sarcastically. _"You've died."_

Hay-Lee gasped at the thought and looked up at Eragon. At first he was smiling slightly, but when he saw the tears, both encrusted on her face from the wind and the new ones leaking down her face now, his smile was replaced by a look of concern. He reached out gently and dried her tears. "It's okay."

Hay-Lee smiled weakly at him. "It wasn't all that bad."

"Ready to go again?" Eragon asked teasingly.

"Absolutely NOT!" Hay-Lee said as he helped her down from Saphira's back.

"Are you sure?" Eragon continued teasing.

Hay-Lee whimpered and pulled him close. "M-Maybe after lunch-that way I'll have something to throw up on you."

Eragon smiled down at her. "You're one weird girl."

Hay-Lee looked up at him and smile, finding that she was losing herself a bit in his eyes, "Weird is good. Weird means different and if I'm different that means I have individuality. And it's my individuality that you love about me the most."

"Is that so?" Eragon asked leaning into her slightly.

Hay-Lee reached up on tiptoe, each of them only two centimeters apart. Her lips gently brushing his, teasing him, "Yes." She whispered, daring him to make his move.

Eragon took the dare and was about to make his move when-

"_LET ME OUT!" _Esperanza roared in mind-speak, causing both Eragon and Hay-Lee to cover their ears and step apart.

**Authors' Notes:**

**Rae: **Yay! Fluffy chapter. What did you think? Was it too much over the top? Where they moving too fast? What did you think of Esperanza's interruption? Lol Please review, reviews are always welcome, although I'd prefer no flames, you can still let me know where I need to improve! SO REVIEW ALL READY!

**Luna: **Look! She was left speechless! Rae's comment not mine, but it's so true. OMG that was the best chapter I think she's ever written. Lets all give a round of applause. It reminded me so much of _Twilight_, YEAH. Unfortunately there's no fluff in Tira's future, only misery.


	9. King Galbatrix

**Disclaimer:** Wanna see us write in our own made up language???? Yeah… didn't think so…

**Author's Notes:**

**Raekitty13:** Omg, Luna is THE slowest writer I have EVER met…. Sry but atm we don't know who reviewed but we thank you ever so much!!! You guys (or was is just one person???) rock hard core! Luna wants to end this story… without an ENDING!!!! Someone stop her!

**Luna:** It's true. It comes and goes, now it's vampires, but the intro. was too cliché so you won't be reading Night Stalkers. Your reading the next chapter of this fan fict..

Chapter … what ever the heck it is now 

Galbatrix's castle was creepy, plain and simple. It held the feeling of a graveyard at midnight with zombies and ghost walking around in it. The guards flanked Tira as she followed Mertagh inside, shrivers running down her spine. Talon trailed Tira snapping and growling at anyone that got to close. If the dragon could breathe fire Tira was sure that all the guards would be burned to crisp by now.

The footsteps echoed off the stone floor. Torches of black fire cast weird looking shapes all around. The place was dark and freezing. And not the normal-type of chill-you-to-death, cold either. This cold bit through clothes to the very center of a person, freezing them from the inside out in the slowest way possible.

_Maybe that's why all the guards looked dead,_ thought Tira. Indeed it was true. The guards slouched behind them, their arms limp, their faces blank of any normal expression. The only thing that made them look alive was their moving.

"Show some respect," commanded Murtagh. He paused momentarily out side a nondescript wooden door before entering.

The room was the same as the rest of the castle except for a high back black throw at the far end. Galbatrix motioned for them to come forward. His whole body was covered by a black cloak, the only thing visible of him was his fingers which held a silver claw. And when he spoke his voice was strangle rough.

"Quite a catch you have brought me." Murtagh gave a little bow of his head. "I send you out for an egg and you come back with a closer to me girl."

Tira took a shaky little step closer. The king gave a sigh. "Pity it's a girl. They make such bad fighters, too weak. But the dragon might turn out better." He shot Tira a filthy look. "I'm going to cut right to the chase. I'm don't have time to waste. Killing you means killing your dragon, and although we could do with out you; it's such a waste to murder a stunning beast such as this.

"My offer; join me or die, decide now."

Tira starred at the black faced king. Was he really asking her to join him or was he just toying with her? But he had said join or die.

Tira didn't want to help the king. She _hated_ the king. But certainly she didn't want to die, not so young.

"Now child," commanded Galbatrix. "I'm very impatient."

Tira ground her teeth. She thought of Hay-lee and Esperanza, and never seeing them again. _That's not what I want. _But there was no doubt in her mind that if she didn't agree to join the king surely her would kill her on the spot rather than see her go to the enemy. Better none than the Varden.

Her voice shook as she spoke the words, too much of a coward to say otherwise. "I'll join you."

The king acted almost bored. "And what's you dragon's name?"

"Talon."

"Excellent. A Talon to rip through the flesh of our enemies. A name that'll inspire fear." Now his voice sounded a little too happy.

Author's Notes:

Raekitty13: dun dun dun… lolz that was an amazing chapter, if not short to say the least but amazing all the same (I had to kidnap her, tie her to the computer chair and hold her HP book hostage to get this for y'all so at least review and save the story!!!)

Luna32: Yeah that's kinda true. On to Night Stalkers….or is it Love and War?


	10. A Short Lived Romance

Hay-Lee and Tira 

By: Luna32

& Raekitty13

**Disclaimer: **Did you know this is still copy right infringement? Why bother fooling all readers of this fic by writing unprofessionally and putting myself at risk of being sued by my own lawyer? Especially when I could just publish the last book and make millions off of it? … BECAUSE IT'S NOT MINE!

**Author's Notes:**

**Raekitty13: **Don't everybody review at once… what happened to all the dedicated Eragon fans? Was it the movie? Our writing? (ponders) (shrugs) ON WITH THE FIC FOR THE STORY MUST GO ON!  
**Luna32: **One song line: Kiss, kiss fall in love.

**  
Chapter 10: **A Short Lived Romance?

_  
"Thank Dragon Lore!" _Esperanza muttered. _"Do you realize how… I blew it didn't I?"_

Hay-lee and Eragon were standing about twelve feet apart, neither looking at the other. Their gazes seemed to be glued to the ground.

Hay-lee's face was the shade of a ripe, cherry tomato. Eragon's elfish face was a slightly lighter, pinkish hue. They both wore expressions of embarrassment mixed with regret.

Esperanza stamped her feet with impatience. What _was_ their issue? They obviously liked each other…

Hay-lee heard Esperanza stamp her feet and used it as an excuse to turn away from Eragon completely.

_  
"What have I done?"_ Both Eragon and Hay-lee asked themselves, for once not hearing the other. _"What would have happened had I kissed-_

_  
"Him?"_

_  
"Her?"_

_  
"Would I have been able to forgive myself for indulging in pleasure while Tira is - God knows where?"_

_  
"Am I rushing foolishly into another relationship, again?"_

Esperanza, hearing both minds looked between the two of them. _"What __**is**__ their problem?!"_

_  
"Fear." _Came the answer.

Esperanza turned to the large Dragon. _"I-I am sorry! I- I did not mean to speak out of turn!"_

_  
"You are fine. You have more respect than I did at your age. More so than I did a year ago, even."_ Saphira turned her head towards  
Esperanza. _"My name, as you know, is Saphira."_

_  
"And I am Esperanza."_

_  
"Go ahead, youngling. Ask questions to your heart's content. I will try to answer them to the best of my knowledge."_

Esperanza was so excited she didn't know where to start! Dancing slightly, her little mind whirled, scrutinizing ever possible question she wanted to ask, trying to find out just which one to ask first. But when it picked up Hay-lee's sad thoughts, her mind stopped dead in its tracks.

"_How do I fix them?"_

Saphira seemed to smile at the dragon-ling. _"I've found it's best to let them go and do their own thing when it comes to their hearts."_

_  
"Yes, but-but I-I-I BROKE THEM!" _she squealed. _"They were so- happy, bubbly-IN LOVE! And I, I broke them!"_

Hay-lee looked up worriedly as her baby dragon continued to squeal. "Esperanza? What's wrong, Girl?"

_  
"Then fix it,"_ Saphira suggested as Eragon looked over his shoulder to see what was wrong with Hay-lee and her dragon, Esperanza. _"Put them back together."_

Eragon wasn't sure how he knew their names, sure Hay-lee had told him her dragon's name, but never once was he fully sure the girl's name was Hay-lee…

Esperanza crawled up to Hay-lee on all fours, stomach rubbing on the ground, stopping just out of the caring girl's grasp. As Hay-lee leaned forward, Esperanza took off. Hay-lee, still believing something to be wrong, shot off after her at top speed.

She chased her through the forest and out of Eragon's line of sight. When he started to follow them, however, Saphira interfered. Her long blue tail was blocking his path.

_  
"Perhaps you should start lunch, Little One."_

Eragon sighed. _"I blew it, didn't I? I went to fast…"_

His thoughts were almost as rapid as they were when in battle, Saphira noted. _"So the girl quickens not only his heart, but his mind as well…" _she said to herself alone.

_  
"She's never gonna look at me like that again. She's going to think I was seducing her with my magic or something! Oh-dear-god… please tell me I __**wasn't **__seducing her using magic…"_

Saphira gave another one of her dragon snorts of laughter. _"Eragon, clam down."_

_  
"How can you tell me that? I'm horrible at this love thing, I mean I've blown just about every chance that has come my way… I mean she probably thinks I'm a dork, and hates my guts by now…"_

Esperanza came tearing out of the forest but Eragon didn't notice. Hay-lee, some what out of breath, but hardly slowing down, chased after her dragon with a sort of drunken, blind speed. Esperanza, hoping to forcefully put Eragon and Hay-lee back together dashed through Eragon's widespread legs, stopping only when she was standing next to Saphira. She then turned on the spot to watch the scene unfold.

Both dragons looked on with a smug expression as Hay-lee slammed into Eragon, causing them both to fall. Through the eyes of the dragons the next couple of minutes passed by in slow motion. Eragon spun in mid-fall with elf-like grace, catching Hay-lee just inches above his nose.

Neither seemed to move, both lacking breath due to the impact and the intensity of their proximity. Each teen's brain seemed to be working at top notch, noting all there was about the other at this new level of intimacy. As breathing deemed necessary they both muttered the other's name in unison.

"Hay-lee."

"Eragon."

It had been a mistake on each of their parts. Had they been in a battle, it would have been fatal. But as it was they were not, and in saying the other's name and upon hearing their own in return, they looked into each other's eyes.

Eragon stared at Hay-lee. Her green eyes, seemingly doing as his were, observing every inch of the other. Her dark hair was dangling over her shoulders, hanging around his head on both sides like a curtain. He could easily kiss her with out the world ever finding out, all it would take was for him to tilt his head up only an inch or two toward her lips…

Hay-lee completely lost herself in every aspect of Eragon. His dark brown eyes (**author's note: **I'm sorry I don't know if Eragon has brown eyes or not it the book, I'm pretty sure he did in the movie though, so… yeah I'm sorry if I've got it wrong); his warm, uneven breath which smelled slightly of mint; his hands around her waist; his firm body beneath hers; his perfect, flawless face; his luscious lips only a couple inches away from hers…

Some where in Eragon's mind a small voice asked how Hay-lee had managed to bowl him over. Choosing to ignore the annoying voice, Eragon continued to take in all the curves of Hay-lee's body and bask in the sent of her heavenly breath. No matter what Eragon's body told him it wanted to think about, the small voice of reason continued to pursue the answer to its question.

Even on his less alert days, nobody had managed to sneak up on him. It was part of his training, the voice reasoned. She shouldn't have been able to knock him completely off his feet…and yet she had…

What was it about her that compelled him to let his guard down?

Would that voice ever shut up? Blinking, Eragon tired to clear his head of logical thoughts, thinking more intensely about Hay-lee's body weight pressing down on him; his hands around her waist, just itching to move; and her lips just centimeters from his now as he made his move once more.

"Oh-mi-god!" Hay-lee muttered as Eragon blinked, releasing her from her trance. "I'm so sorry! I swear, I'm such a klutz…" And she pulled away from him at the same time that he leaned into the air where she had been moments before.

"D-don't apologize," Eragon whispered, his voice somewhat husky. "I-I don't mind."

"How could that NOT have bothered you?" Hay-lee demanded face beet red. She was now sitting up between his legs as he propped himself up on his elbows. "I mean I'm terribly heavy an-"

"No you're not." Eragon interrupted her, speaking the truth.

"-d… ! I beg your pardon?" Hay-lee demanded yet again, flushing even redder than before. She loved to eat and figured it had to show.

"You're not heavy at all. Actually I find your weight to be…"

"To be…?" Hay-lee prompted.

To be what indeed! What could he say that wouldn't make him out to be a perverted, horny teenaged boy with a beautiful, mysterious girl sitting on top of him?

Eragon shook his head and blushed deeply, but the poor Rider didn't have to say anything at all. Not only was it clearly written on his face, but his mind was open to Hay-lee as well. Plainly making what he was thinking crystal clear as though he had said it out loud.

With out much thought Hay-lee exclaimed, blushing; "You find my weight to be _appealing_?!"

"It's not nice to read people's minds, ya know!" Eragon snapped out of pure embarrassment, recoiling from her.

"I-I-" Hay-lee didn't know what to say. She hadn't meant for what she said to hurt him. She had just been surprised by the fact that he actually like her, or at least found her attractive. Plus, it hadn't been like she was _trying _to pry. His thoughts had just kind of popped into her head before she knew what she was doing, or rather saying.

Standing up, tears in her eyes, Hay-lee turned to look for Esperanza. Her back to Eragon she managed a cold, "I'm sorry. It-It won't happen again."

All the while her mind betrayed her as it sobbed, "_What have I done?"_

Eragon's heart throbbed with her silent cry.

_  
"I'm sorry," _he thought, but he knew that the cold space alongside his conscience meant that she had not heard him.

"Hay-lee, I-I didn't," Eragon's knee's felt weak as he stood along side Saphira. He wanted to shout his apology at the top of his lungs, but his voice refused to rise above an incoherent whisper. "I didn't mean it."

_  
"No!"_ Esperanza cried out in despair. _"Now they're even MORE broken!"_

_  
"Humans," _Saphira snorted.

**  
Author's Notes:**

**Raekitty13: **Okay, I gave it my all. That romance lasted a grand total of what… two chapters? Three I guess if you count the slight attraction when Eragon rescued Hay-lee, but still! Why does love have to be so complicated? You tell me, but any who, what's a story with out conflict? Please leave me a review, I really did try my best this chapter (not that I don't try my best EVERY chapter…)

**Luna32: **You never insult a girl's weight. Never talk about it, no matter what even if you do find it appealing. But true conflict is good in a story. Review please.


End file.
